1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to laminate markerboards. More particularly, the invention relates to a markerboard including magnetic characteristics allowing individuals to adhere decorations, notes or other materials thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Decorative laminates have found wide acceptance within the furniture and building industries. The durability, cost and versatility of decorative laminates make them useful in almost any structural application. For example, decorative laminates are found in everything from flooring products to furniture to countertops.
With this in mind, the laminate industry is continually striving to improve the functionality of decorative laminates. Whether the improvement relates to a locking tongue and groove configuration for decorative laminate flooring panels or improved surface characteristics for a countertop, the advances in decorative laminate manufacturing make these materials equal to, or better than, the materials they are designed to replace.
As most people who have worked in a recently updated office space will appreciate, cubicle systems are very popular. The systems are generally composed of a series of panels connected to create a small semi-private space in which an individual may work. Cubicle systems allow businesses to readily alter a work space to accommodate changing conditions without totaling remodeling the existing work space.
As briefly discussed above, cubicles are constructed from panels selectively connected to create an office. These panels have been formed from metal, fabric covered frames, decorative laminates and wood. Considering the limited space provided in most cubicles, it is desirable to maximize the functionality incorporated into each space.
The ability to post decorations, notes, reminders and various other messages on the walls of the cubicle is one consideration in the use of a cubicle. Where the cubicle is formed from metal, for example, steel, such materials may be readily attached to the walls using magnets. However, metal cubicle panels are very expensive and often present a stark appearance.
Where the cubicle panels are fabric covered panels, workers may secure materials with thumbtacks which, as most will people appreciate, is less than desirable. For example, workers are forced to create holes in each object they desire to hang on their wall and are continually hunting down thumbtacks.
With regard to decorative laminate panels, current panels do not provide a convenient mechanism for securing decorations, notes, reminders and various other messages on the walls of the cubicle. With the foregoing in mind, the inventors have determined that the functionality of decorative laminate panels may be improved by the inclusion of a convenient mechanism for mounting materials to decorative laminate panels.
Prior attempts have been made to produce a magnetically active laminate. The term magnetically active is used throughout the present specification to describe both materials which are magnetically susceptible (i.e., those materials capable of attracting magnetic objects) and materials which exhibit magnetism. However, these attempts have generated limited success. One known laminate disperses a magnetically active material, for example, iron, within a resin impregnated layer. This creates a non-distinct composite layer exhibiting a nonuniform material composition when the layer is viewed on a substantially microscopic level. As a result of the need to disperse the iron within the resin impregnated layer, the prior art laminates are limited by the amount of iron which may be dispersed without adversely effecting the integrity of the resin impregnated layer. These prior art laminates have, therefore, been found to provide unacceptable levels of magnetic attraction.
The inventors have accordingly developed the present decorative laminate panel allowing individuals to readily, conveniently and securely attach magnetic objects to a decorative laminate panel.
Decorative laminates offer a functionality neither metal nor fabric covered panels are able to offer. Specifically, decorative laminates may be used as erasable markerboards. These markerboards are found everywhere from meeting rooms to kitchen refrigerators to dorm room doors.
As with the decorative laminate panels used in the manufacture of cubicles, the functionality of decorative laminate markerboards would be vastly improved by the inclusion of magnetic abilities allowing users to readily and directly attach a variety of materials to the markerboard.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a laminate composed of a first resin impregnated layer and a distinct, magnetically active sheet.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a laminate composed of a polymer layer, a binding layer and a steel layer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a laminate including a decorative layer, a first resin impregnated lo core layer, a magnetically active layer and a second resin impregnated core layer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cubicle panel including a magnetically active decorative laminate, a substrate to which the decorative laminate is bonded to form a decorative laminate panel and connecting means coupled to edges of the decorative laminate panel for selectively securing the cubicle panel to adjacent cubicle panels.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a magnetic susceptible markerboard constructed from a decorative laminate including an exterior surface permitting the use of the decorative laminate panel as a readily erasable markerboard. The decorative laminate includes a decorative layer having an exterior surface permitting the selective use of the decorative laminate panel as a readily erasable markerboard, a first resin impregnated core layer and a magnetically active layer.